


Chapstick

by taymitsu



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Humor, Its a trial and error process, Lots of unnecessary blushes, They get embarrassed a lot, Yoshiko why
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-09-14 20:27:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9201104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taymitsu/pseuds/taymitsu
Summary: Hanamaru spent lots of time planning how her and Yoshiko's first kiss would go. However, Yoshiko did not take winters effects on her lips into account, which threw the whole thing off.





	1. First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> This was really fun to write!! Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!

Yoshiko knew Zuramaru liked her.

It was a bright yet cold day when she told her. They were at Hanamaru's house, taking a break from homework. They sat outside on the hardwood, wrapped up together in a soft blanket, sitting in silence when Hanamaru said the words. " _I like you, Yoshiko-chan._ "

Yoshiko was quick to agree. After all, she had been crushing on the little demon almost immediately after they were reunited again. It was fate, obviously—they had only been separated when Yohane descended from the heavens.

They had been dating for a little over a month now. So if Zuramaru liked her, why was she pulling away?

Head spinning, Yoshiko backed away from the tiny girl standing in front of her. "Z-Zuramaru?" She asked hesitantly. "Is something wrong?"

Not even the flames of hell could burn Yoshiko as much as Zuramaru had done when she broke away from their kiss almost immediately after their lips touched. Why would she do that if she was the one who initiated the "kiss" anyways? Did she change her mind? Did she realize that she truly didn't like Yoshiko? Could the great Yohane really have been charmed and fooled by a human?

The girl put her fingers to her lips, and her face began to turn bright red, matching Yoshiko's already burning one. "I-I'm sorry, Yoshiko-chan," she whimpered. "I just can't kiss you, zura."

Yoshiko took a step forward. "W-why? Was there something I did?! Is there something wrong with me?!" Yoshiko demanded, angry at the sudden overwhelming heartbreak that overtook her. She really, really, _really_ liked Zuramaru.

Looking anywhere but Yoshiko's face, Hanamaru stuttered nervously, "w-well, zura, I just...it's just..."

"It's not me, it's you, isn't it?" Yoshiko asked solemnly.

Hanamaru jumped, shaking her hands and her head, her hair flying everywhere. "No! That's not it, zura!" She exclaimed.

Yoshiko bent down so she was face-to-face with her, Yoshiko asked exasperatedly, "well what is it then?" _What's wrong with me?_

Clenching her fists and squinting her eyes closed, Hanamaru took a deep breath, then loudly announced:

" _You have chapped lips!_ "

 

* * *

  
It was dark by the time they left the school building. When the other Aqours members had left, Hanamaru had waited with Yoshiko on the school rooftop, to share their first kiss against the sunset, the cool wind blowing their hair. Hanamaru had imagined it for so long, had dreamed of it. With Ruby, she planned out the day it would take place, and even told Dia and Kanan about in hopes they would help her.

Except their first kiss wasn't as magical as she had planned.

Yoshiko's lips were so chapped Hanamaru expected her lips to be cut afterwards. It hurt so bad she just couldn't continue. It was definitely a shock—Yoshiko had always appeared to have soft lips, Hanamaru had stared at them long enough to be almost certain of it, and in every book Hanamaru read the partner always had soft lips. She thought it was common knowledge that everyone should have soft lips. And during their first kiss, Hanamaru was supposed to marvel about how soft Yoshiko's lips are and would want to kiss her again and again because she loved the feeling.

Hanamaru cringed, her face scrunching up.

Behind her, Yoshiko was whimpering. "Was it really that bad?" She asked for the millionth time, and Hanamaru tried not to sigh too loudly.

"No, Yoshiko-chan. It was okay, zura." Truth be told, it was bad, but her girlfriend was already sad enough. Hanamaru held Yoshiko's hand as she dragged the girl to the convenience store. A few passerby's gave the couple odd looks—the tall girl, face red from crying and dragging her feet noisily on the concrete, being pulled by another tiny yet angry girl. They looked like a mother trying to take her child to the dentist, except it was just the convenience store.

Hanamaru was frustrated. They had already been waiting so long just to kiss—not just each other, but the first time kissing someone in general. Yoshiko could have prepared like Hanamaru did! Putting on a bit of lipgloss, chewing mint gum, and most of all, chapstick. Definitely chapstick.

At least she made it memorable.

Walking into the convenience store, the little bell above them rang to signal their arrival. The woman working at the counter barely looked up at them as they headed to the makeup section, but did a double-take upon seeing their...situation.

Hanamaru quickly found the array of chapsticks, finally letting go of Yoshiko's wrist. "A lot of them have scents, or you can get one with color in it, zura," she proposed brightly, watching Yoshiko's eyes scan the array.

"Ive seen chapstick before, Zuramaru," she muttered to her girlfriend. Yoshiko tapped her chin decisively.

Hanamaru looked to the side a bit, letting out a huff. "I'd never have thought, given how chapped—"

" _Z-Zuramaru!_ " Yoshiko wailed, her face as red as the strawberry chapstick she held in her hand, and Hanamaru found herself giggling despite how frustrated she had been. She truly couldn't be mad at Yoshiko for long, but her first kiss was definitely something to be a bit disappointed in.

Taking the chapstick from Yoshiko's open palm, she did a once-over on the label and price. It was one of the expensive kinds, but it was worth it. Hanamaru didn't even want to think about Yoshiko's kiss anymore, much less experience it. So she gave a content "zura" and walked back over to the the cashier.

Yoshiko dug in her bag, but Hanamaru laid a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Ive got it," she said sweetly, although she wished Yoshiko had already planned to get some before this whole fiasco. _Anything for her, I guess,_ she thought to herself.

Walking out of the store with the chapstick (and two chocolate bars), Hanamaru paused beside the door to wait for Yoshiko to follow suit. "Come here," she beaconed, tearing open the little package.

Yoshiko paused in front of Hanamaru. "Thanks, Zuramaru," she said graciously.

Taking another step closer, Hanamaru stared up at Yoshiko, imitating the way they both stood not too long ago on the rooftop. She stood on her tiptoes, and watched as Yoshiko's cheeks gradually colored.

Hesitantly, Maru rested a hand on Yoshiko's cheek and, with the other hand, lifted the chapstick to Yoshiko's lips, hand unsteady from her teetering body due to standing on her toes. Hanamaru became lost in concentration, lips parted and eyebrows knotted together as she dragged the chapstick softly across Yoshiko's...not-so-soft lips. Hanamaru was no beauty guru, she barely ever wore makeup herself, but she took extreme caution in applying the chapstick to Yoshiko.

Through her concentration, Hanamaru could barely feel Yoshiko's heavy gaze above her.

When Hanamaru finished, her eyes fluttered upwards, meeting Yoshiko's violet ones. Yoshiko had always been the more embarrassed one in their relationship, taking days to even be able to hold Hanamaru's hand, so Hanamaru didn't expect Yoshiko to close her eyes and lean down towards her face. She didn't realize what was happening until their noses brushed, and Hanamaru jumped back.

"Yoshiko-chan!" She exclaimed, quickly putting the cap back on the chapstick. "I told you I couldn't kiss you yet! Your lips are chapped, zura!"

Mouth falling open, Yoshiko cried, "but I'm wearing chapstick! You put it on me yourself!" She clenched her fists down at her sides.

Exhaling, Hanamaru lifted her hands before letting them fall back down at her sides. "Silly," she scolded, lifting her arm to bop the top of Yoshiko's head, causing her girlfriend to flinch. "It doesn't work immediately, zura," she reminded Yoshiko.

Sulking, Yoshiko grabbed Hanamaru's hand before they started walking home. "I-I want to kiss Zuramaru," a shy Yoshiko said quietly, turning her head.

Smiling up at the raven-haired, Hanamaru piped, "and I want to kiss Yoshiko-chan, zura." Then she sighed, looking back out in front of her. She didn't want to get on Yoshiko again, but it was disappointing—they could be kissing at this moment if Yoshiko had prepared.

The harsh and cold wind blew, and Hanamaru huddled closer to Yoshiko. Thinking about it now, it was winter...which does dry your lips out. She shouldn't be too mad at Yoshiko after all, chapped lips were normal this season...

Hand in her pocket, Hanamaru palmed the chapstick before stopping abruptly. "Oh, Yoshiko-chan!" She exclaimed, stopping her girlfriend, who turned around questioningly. "Here you go, zura," she gushed, giving the little piece of plastic to Yoshiko.

When she looked back up at her girlfriend, she was taken aback by her lips. Although it was only chapstick, it had a pink tint to it that made Yoshiko's face look brighter, and the glossy shininess made her even that more irresistible.

"Z-Zuramaru?" Yoshiko affirmed, one eyebrow raised. Hanamaru blinked back to life, not realizing she had frozen still with one hand still extended above the place where Yoshiko's had been, fingers spread from when she dropped it into her palm.

Feeling her face full with heat, Hanamaru looked down. "Sorry, zura," she professed with embarrassment, her mind racing at how shameless she had been.

If she didn't kiss Yoshiko now, she would drive herself insane with longing.

 

* * *

 

Lying on her bed, Yoshiko was in the same position as she had been in at least half an hour ago. Her shoulders were starting to cramp and her cheeks were aching, but she couldn't help it, she was so giddy, a girl in love.

She was lying on her belly, propped up on her elbows and legs dangling in the air. She held up the little strawberry chapstick in her hands, and twirled it over and over in front of her face, occasionally letting out an uncharacteristic giggle.

So many things had gone wrong today, and it was just a chapstick, but in Yoshiko's mind, everything was euphoric. Because truthfully, the chapstick was a promise—a contract between her and the little demon, that one day, they will share another kiss again.

And, if things go according to Hanamaru's plan this time, Yoshiko would have soft lips. And if things go to Yoshiko's plan, Zuramaru would fawn over how soft they were, and kiss them again and again and again. Yoshiko rolled over, trying to keep herself from squeaking.

Did Zuramaru like the taste of strawberry? Yoshiko popped the cap off and applied yet another layer, and then licked her lips. It tasted like strawberries.

She knew that Zuramaru loved mikan, yet Yoshiko hated it. When Chika brought mikan to the rest of Aqours, Yoshiko gave hers to Zuramaru. So if that was the case there, then did that mean Zuramaru hated strawberries too?!

Letting out a loud yelp, Yoshiko fell out of her bed as she reached her hand out to grab her cellphone. Hurriedly, she flipped it open, and with shaky, quick thumbs, she typed out: ' _what's your opinion on strawberries?_ '

Curse her slow typing. Zuramaru's response came after what felt like an eternity: ' _Yoshiko-chan, you know I like strawberries. I've ate them with you before. They're delicious!_ '

Her face spread into a smile as a knock resounded through Yoshiko's room. "Yoshiko?" Her mothers voice came from the other side of the door.

"It's Yohane."

Ignoring her comment, she slowly opened the door and walked into Yoshiko's room. Yoshiko watched as her eyes scanned over her, on the floor, grinning at something on her phone. "I heard a thump," she said. "Are you alright?"

Standing up, Yoshiko fell back onto her bed. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," she assured, falling back onto her pillows.

Raising an eyebrow, her mother responded smoothly, "alright, just checking on you." When she turned around to leave her room and Yoshiko looked down at her phone to reply to her girlfriend, her mother turned around once again to ask, "are you wearing lipstick?"

" _Mom!_ "


	2. Second Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yoshiko is tired of waiting. So is Hanamaru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY. That's all I can say. I have no other excuses than that I've had a three month long writers block and that I've been thinking a lot about what's gonna happen in this chapter. Ahhhhh

"So, how did it go?"

Hanamaru wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. Kanan and Dia had already asked, and now Ruby. She hadn't been able to come up with an answer for either. She left her two upperclassmen with their unanswered texts, but with Ruby right beside her, she couldn't not answer.

It took her a minute before coming up with a decent response. "Bleh." Hanamaru stuck out her tongue. She sighed as she looked at Ruby.

"W-what?" Ruby demanded, her eyes wide as saucers. "It wasn't good? I thought all first kisses were supposed to be good!" She exclaimed, her bright red pigtails bouncing.

Turning back in front of her, Hanamaru shrugged. "It was barely a kiss anyways, zura," she muttered, yet the twist in her gut told her otherwise. "I had to break it off, because..."

"Because?"

"Because her lips were chapped." Hanamaru's cheeks turned the color of Ruby's hair. It was embarrassing to think about, and when she said it out loud, she sounded lame and whiny. Putting her fingers to her lips, Hanamaru remembered how rough Yoshiko's were on hers. True, she had been harsh on her girlfriend, but the kiss was unbearable. "Zura."

Beside her, Ruby giggled. "That's just like Yoshiko-chan," she said, giving Hanamaru a sympathetic smile. "What did you do about it?" She asked curiously.

Crossing her arms, Hanamaru let out a huff. "I did what anyone would do in that situation!" She announced to her friend. "I bought her chapstick."

Ruby blinked. "You bought it for her?" She asked, earning a hard nod from Hanamaru. "Typical Maru-chan."

"It was the expensive kind too, zura!" Hanamaru explained with a wave of her hand. "Nearly cost me 600 yen!"

"Ooh!" Ruby gasped, awed. "It should better work then, right?" Once again, Hanamaru nodded vigorously. "Then you two can k-kiss all you want!" She sputtered, and Hanamaru laughed at how embarrassed her friend was.

Turning back around, facing the empty road, Hanamaru smiled. Her cheeks were flushed as she envisioned their...second kiss.

"G-Ganbaruby!" Her friend said beside her before the two erupted into laughter.

 

* * *

 

With a plop, Yoshiko fell down in the seat beside You, letting out a loud exhale. "The life of a fallen angel is a tough one," she mumbled glumly after a moment of silence between the two.

Lifting an eyebrow, You looked at her friend suspiciously. However, her face was expressionless, not giving away anything. "Oh, is it?" You asked slowly.

With a nod, Yoshiko faced her upperclassman, lifting her eyebrows. "I kissed Zuramaru," she blurted.

"Ooh!" You awed, perking up, appearing immune to the morning. "That came out fast."

Leaning back in her seat, Yoshiko slouched, burying her face in her yellow scarf—the one that always reminded her of her girlfriend. She was bombarded with a slew of questions from You, as to be expected, and Yoshiko only answered them with a grunt.

You's face fell. "It didn't go well, did it?" She mumbled, and Yoshiko replied with a shake of her head.

"Not at all." She sat up, facing her friend. "I mean—Zuramaru kissed me, but..."

"But?"

"But my lips were chapped." As soon as the words came out, a flood of red washed over Yoshiko's face. She was such an idiot—she and Hanamaru had been dating for a long time without any kisses, so of course they were going to do so eventually! Yoshiko was a bad girlfriend for not being prepared, although she didn't have any idea when they would kiss in the first place.

You blinked. "Your...lips were chapped?" She grinned, because surely Yoshiko was joking! Yet, sure enough, Yoshiko looked at You through her lashes like a sad puppy. "What the fu—"

Slapping You on the arm, Yoshiko crossed hers as You cut off her sentence to burst into laughter. " _The great Yohane shall be laughed at when the great flames of hell are extinguished!_ " She announced loudly, her face red and angry. When every other passenger turned around to look back at her, Yoshiko shrunk back in her seat, squeaking back a quiet "sorry."

Rolling her eyes, You softly shoved Yoshiko. "That's just like you," she laughed, and her underclassman let out a long sigh as she put her head in her hands. "It's fine, Yoshiko, it happens," she continued, "just because your lips were chapped doesn't mean she's going to break up wi—did she break up with you?"

Shaking her head, Yoshiko held up an _X_ with her arms. "No!" She exclaimed, as if the thought of it were worse than eternal banishment. "She bought me chapstick!"

You grinned, leaning back in her seat. "That's not too bad, at least that means she wants to keep you around to make up your first kiss," she reminded, and Yoshiko blushed in response. "And, buying it for you? That's just like her."

Pulling out the little strawberry chapstick out of her pocket, You watched as she put it on. "That's an expensive brand, isn't it?" She asked curiously.

Withdrawing her hand, Yoshiko smiled at the little piece of plastic in her hand. "Yeah," she said wistfully.

"Are you going to kiss her?" You asked with a tilt of her head, and Yoshiko nodded vigorously in response.

Grinning, You held her hand to her forehead in a salute. "Yousoro," she exclaimed enthusiastically, and Yoshiko rolled her eyes with a hopeful smile.

 

* * *

 

It had been nearly a week since Hanamaru kissed Yoshiko. And, surprisingly, it has been harder than Hanamaru had expected.

Hanamaru had never really felt... _lust._ Was this normal? Could her family forgive her for these things she was feeling every time she saw Yoshiko applying that stupid chapstick? Hanamaru had watched her put it on so much that she definitely knew that Yoshiko's lips were kissable.

She had plenty of chances—they saw each other almost every day after school and even went on a date over the weekend. So why couldn't Hanamaru do it? Why was she so nervous all of a sudden.

"Hanamaru? Hanamaru-chan!" Lifting her chin up from her hand, Hanamaru blinked herself back into reality. It wasn't uncommon for her to zone out, but this time, her face suddenly lit up like a string of red Christmas lights. When she had zoned out, she had been watching Yoshiko, who looked at Hanamaru with an equally embarrassed expression, with her hands covering her face. Without making the situation any worse, Hanamaru spun back around, facing Ruby.

"Sorry," she mumbled, twirling a strand of hair around her pencil. They were sitting along with the rest of Aqours, Hanamaru in the middle of the other two first years. They were all brainstorming their next song, working in groups of three to come up with lyrics.

Ruby smiled at her and Hanamaru opened her mouth to say something else, but her thought of cut off when the corner of something poked her in her thigh. "Ow!" She exclaimed, looking at her leg, and then back up at Ruby. "What was that?"

"Sorry!" Ruby squeaked. "I, um..." in the corner of her eye, Hanamaru saw every head turn towards her friend expectingly. "D-Dia and I got a manicure!" She suddenly said, lifting her fingers, which were a bright pink color. Hanamaru quickly turned to see Dia's, but as she did, Dia had dropped her pencil and stuck her hands under the table.

It was obviously a weak attempt at changing the subject, but Hanamaru only shrugged, going back to the paper, and the light chatter amongst the room continued. Chika, Riko, and You excitedly predicted the direction of the song while Dia, Mari, and Kanan bickered over their next line. Yoshiko and Ruby, who used to input their ideas, were now silent. Hanamaru looked up from the paper, about to point it out, when she noticed something: Chika and Riko were leaning in towards each other to whisper a secret whilst staring at the space about Hanamaru's head, and You was staring at the same place with squinted eyes, and whatever she was thinking, she was concentrating hardly on it.

Without moving, Hanamaru glanced to the side, her eyes sliding over the third years' as she did so. They too were looking at that place above her head, and every time they made eye contact, they each dropped their eyes.

When Hanamaru finally looked at Yoshiko, her eyes widened. Her hand was hovering in the air behind Hanamaru, and she was glaring at it, as if it were offending her. Was she draping her arm across the back of Hanamaru's chair? That was a typical move in the books she'd read, but it was so unlike Yoshiko to do that. And what was with that expression?

Unbeknownst to Yoshiko, Hanamaru watched her eyes widen, and a moment later, something tapped on her head—hard and sharp, the same feeling that was on her thigh a moment ago. Hanamaru jumped in her seat, bringing her hand up to her head, stifling a yelp.

"Zura! What was that?!" She demanded, swirling on Ruby, who had her lips pressed together, then on Yoshiko.

Suddenly, Hanamaru stilled, her mouth parted and eyes wide in surprise. Yoshiko, with a red face, awkwardly held up a book. She smiled and let out a forced, airy laugh. "You left this at my house," she said quietly.

Hanamaru eyed the book dubiously. "I think I left it at Ruby's..." her gaze flickered to Ruby, who looked panicked.

"N-nope!" Ruby stuttered, hands waving in the air. "Not at my house! Never seen it in my life!" She rambled, pigtails waving as she vigorously shook her head.

Raising her brow, Hanamaru turned back around, letting out a sigh. Despite her curiosity, she simply plucked the book out of Yoshiko's hand with a smile. "Thanks, zura. I've been looking for this."

Putting the book in her lap, Hanamaru turned back to the paper, deciding she would return it tomorrow morning, when it was due. However, as soon as her fingers brushed the pencil, Chika said enthusiastically, "you should return it! With Yoshiko!"

When Hanamaru looked up, she witnessed You and Riko exchanging an unreadable look whilst Chika stared with a grin and wild eyes. Yoshiko shifted beside Hanamaru, her face red.

"Yup! We should probably get to that, Zuramaru! Let's just! Return the book! Before the flames of hell engulf the Earth and thrust us into the end of time!" She rambled, slowly climbing out of her seat.

With a little smile, Hanamaru followed suit, grabbing her book. "Sure, I guess." Yoshiko was nervous over something, something Hanamaru knew she would soon find out about. Her intuition gave her the tiniest sliver of an idea as to what that might be, but she quickly put it down—Yoshiko wasn't that type of person...or was she?

As they walked outside of the room, Mari gave an enthusiastic "have fun!" Hanamaru glanced at Yoshiko's face, which was scrunching up in a weird (and cute) way. Feeling both confused and interested, Hanamaru continued her walk to the library.

 

* * *

 

Yoshiko wanted to die.

There were many times, actually, when Zuramaru made Yoshiko so embarrassed that she wanted to die. Not specifically Zuramaru making Yoshiko embarrassed, but more of the fact that everything was embarrassing around Zuramaru, the girl Yoshiko was always trying to impress, despite Zuramaru always persisting that she didn't need Yoshiko to impress her for her to love her.

When Yoshiko was confident in her plan, she told Ruby—after all, Ruby was the key player in this. When Zuramaru left her book over at Ruby's, as she often did, Ruby would give it to Yoshiko, who would give it to present it to Zuramaru. They would sneak out of the Aqours meeting and head straight to the library, where Yoshiko would press Zuramaru against the wall and...and...

Well. It was a great plan, if Yoshiko did say herself. So did Ruby, of course. Yoshiko didn't mind that Ruby had told Dia, and Yoshiko then told You on the bus ride to school. However, it got slightly out of hand when You told Chika, who told Riko, who told Mari, who told Kanan. Consequently, everyone knew about it. There would be no sneaking around.

Then, of course, Yoshiko couldn't get a good grip on Ruby. The redhead kept telling her that despite her attempts to lure the book from Zuramaru, for some reason, Zuramaru never got it. Then, on the the day Ruby finally did, she and Dia hadn't arrived at school until about halfway through, due to a sick relative. Yoshiko tried to get Ruby alone so they could make the exchange, but for some reason, Zuramaru obliviously stuck to Yoshiko like glue that day—well, like every day—but this time, she never got up to use the restroom and didn't have library duty during lunch.

So, Yoshiko and Ruby had to resort to passing along the book during the meeting. It would've been easier if their hands weren't as shaky, but at least Zuramaru never questioned their odd behavior. At least not out loud...

Turning into the library, Yoshiko quickly jumped ahead to hold the door open for her girlfriend, to which Zuramaru shot her a squinty-eyed smile, making Yoshiko's heart jump.

This was going to be so much harder than Yoshiko thought.

They walked into the quiet library, breathing in the dusty smell. There were one or two other students inside, and Yoshiko scowled—she had hoped it would be empty.

Zuramaru walked over to the book-drop in the desk, sliding it in. As soon as it landed with a thump inside, she turned around back towards the door, ready to go—after all, she had only come to return the book.

Yoshiko, however, had other plans. If things had happened the way they did in her mind, Yoshiko would've been kissing Zuramaru by now. She eyed the students warily...what in the name of god had Yoshiko done to deserve this. She'd have to resort to her back-up, which she had just thought up.

"Zuramaru!" She said eagerly, clasping her friends in front of her. Zuramaru tilted her head curiously. "I've been thinking about getting into reading. Will you give me some recommendations?"

As Zuramaru opened her mouth to say something, Yoshiko grabbed her hand and steered her through the shelves, grinning mischievously. Now was her chance! She felt hellfire burning within her chest at the excitement.

She took Zuramaru to the classic section at the very far corner of the library, far away and secluded. It was the genre that Zuramaru read, which was even better. Now, every time she came here, she would think of Yoshiko kissing her. Thank you, Satan.

"Yoshiko-chan, I thought you said classic literature was boring and confusing and that you would rather be damned to eternal suffering in the fiery depths of hell rather than read it, zura?" Zuramaru asked nonchalantly.

Jumping, Yoshiko turned away with a cringe. She had been caught? Put on the spot, she shuddered. "I-I have changed my mind," she choked out. Zuramaru gave her an incredibly suspicious look before turning with a shrug to the shelves, gliding her fingers over the spines of the books.

As soon as she opened her mouth to ramble her limitless knowledge of classic lit, Yoshiko spiraled away into her head. What now? How was she supposed to go about this? She glanced back at Zuramaru. Maybe she could just do what they did in the manga...

Kabedon. Ah, yes. _Perfect_.

Yoshiko slammed her hand into the books, creating a loud snap. Her wrist immediately ached, a fire spreading through her hand. Yoshiko sucked on her teeth to keep from crying out or moving her hand, but that wasn't even the worst of it.

Zuramaru turned around, eyebrows raised questioningly. Yoshiko's mouth dropped open—she had done it on the wrong side! Zuramaru's eyes blankly traveled from Yoshiko's face and down her arm, to where her hand sat on the bookshelf. Zuramaru stared at it for a moment, then blinked.

Then her face turned red and she whispered an awed, " _zura._ "

She still had a chance to correct herself! Yoshiko quickly took a step forward and Zuramaru took a step back so she was pressed up against the bookshelf, Yoshiko standing over her.

"Zuramaru," she said in her deepest Yohane voice, "I'm going to kiss you."

Nodding vigorously, Zuramaru tilted her head forward and closed her eyes a bit. She looked at Yoshiko like they were going to kiss—which, of course, they were, but now that it was actually happening, it was a bit embarrassing.

Yoshiko took a deep breath. _Okay. You can do this._

Another deep breath.

And then another.

"Y-Yoshiko-chan...?"

"Just a second."

"Take your time, zura..."

Yoshiko wasn't sure what face she was making, but it probably wasn't very attractive. Not the type of face you would make when you'd kiss someone. She changed it, suddenly, her features falling and straightening until she was Yohane, the most powerful fallen angel, who wouldn't hesitate to kiss a mere mortal.

She leaned forward, slowly, too slowly.

However, Zuramaru had her hands on Yoshiko's face and she was pulling her forward, making up for the time she had spent, and suddenly they were kissing.

Yoshiko dropped her hand from the wall and pulled her girlfriend closer to her, as if she just couldn't bare even the tiniest of distance between them. Her hand was everywhere, in Zuramaru's hair, on her neck, on her back, on her waist. They kissed a slow waltz, one that seemed to go so long but end way too soon. As they pulled away, Yoshiko was vaguely away of the butterflies fluttering in her chest and the tingles in her lips, or the burning love in her heart that roared with all the intensity of a thousand fires.

All Yoshiko could do was stand there, eyes wide. Shocked into silence. Numbed by what had just happened.

Zuramaru touched her lips slowly, and they spread into a smile. "That was good," she said quietly, watching her feet.

"Yeah," Yoshiko said back.

Zuramaru looked up again, shyly meeting Yoshiko's eyes through her thick lashes. "Do you think we could do that again?" She asked, almost innocently, but her brown eyes were flashing with something else.

Yoshiko didn't even answer, just smiled and pulled her girlfriend forward so their lips could meet once again.

 

* * *

 

When Hanamaru got home, the first place she went to was the fridge. Well—she always went there, but this time, she pulled open the bottom drawer and took out a container of strawberries.

She ended up eating them all, smiling in between bites. They were good, but they didn't taste the way Yoshiko's lips tasted. A good temporarily replacement, until she could get the real thing again.

Ruby called as Hanamaru was throwing the empty container away. Her heart pounded as she answered, ready to tell her friend everything.

"How was it?!" Ruby immediately squeaked, her voice excited.

Hanamaru stilled. "What? You knew?" She asked, confused. Did Yoshiko tell her before Hanamaru had? How...?

Silence on the other end. "Um," Ruby suddenly said. "Y-Yoshiko-chan might've told us...just a little...about her plan..."

Plan? Yoshiko planned this? Planned to kiss her? Hanamaru considered this. She had made plans to kiss Yoshiko too, that first time. And Yoshiko had done the same for her.

"Hm...who's ' _us_?'"

Ruby squeaked. "Well...all of Aqours..."

Hanamaru couldn't be mad at Yoshiko for too long, and right now, she was already euphoric. So, instead of getting embarrassed, she smiled. "You gave Yoshiko the book I left at your house, didn't you?" She asked.

Detecting the smile her friends voice, Ruby giggled back. Hanamaru grinned—she didn't have to answer, she already knew the answer.

Hanamaru walked to her room, collapsed on her bed, and told Ruby everything that had happened that day—Yoshiko's obvious lies, the failed kabedon, the awkward silence before they had done anything, and then the blissful, second kiss. She left out the third kiss, the fourth, the fifth, and so on, and skipped to the part where she ate every single strawberry in the container because it tasted like Yoshiko.

"Since when did you like strawberries so much?" Ruby asked.

Hanamaru thought about it. "Since today, right when Yoshiko kissed me last," she admitted honestly.

"She wears strawberry chapstick, doesn't she? I've seen her put it on before."

Hanamaru sighed wistfully at the memory of their first kiss, only a week ago. She still had the receipt to the expensive chapstick that she bought Yoshiko. Hanamaru didn't regret for a single moment buying it, especially considering the outcome. "Yeah..."

"Were the strawberries as soft as her lips?" Ruby laughed.

"No," Hanamaru said without hesitation. "Not even close."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lips r weird

**Author's Note:**

> This is a two-part fic so expect the next part soon!!
> 
> If you enjoyed, please consider leaving a kudos or a comment because I thrive off attention and love :,) thank you thank you thank you


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